ismi2000ng@yahoo.com

The last four year tenure of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau as governor of Kano state has truly fulfilled, or at least attempted to fit to the foregoing pre-requisites of Democracy as the peoples' government in terms of directly addressing peculiar problems of the common people in the state.

This fact stood out clearly in form of the natural attachment and inspirational affection Kano people have for their governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau. Those following chain of events during which the governor featured in many public functions would really testify the imaginable magnetic crowd pulling force being exhibited by the governor.

Tuesday May 29,seemed to have been one of such climax of natural love and attachment between the Kanawas (Kano People) and governor Ibrahim Shekarau, when the spacious capacity Sani Abacha Stadium located at the heart of the ancient city got filled to the brim, event to the point of getting suffocated, as the anxious crowd waited for hours to witness their beloved governor being sworn-in as governor for the second consecutive time in the enviable Kano state.

At about 11:00 am, the waiting crowd seemed to have shown a sign of relief when Malam Ibrahim Shekarau stormed the venue in his convoy, waving the people while riding on an open vehicle. Without much waste of time and after some brief protocols, governor Shekarau and his deputy Engineer Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad went on the podium to recite the oath of office. Part of Malam Shekarau's inaugural speech after his oath read as follows: "I vividly recall that exactly about this time four years ago, I stood at this same place and I was sworn as governor for the first tenure. Now history repeats itself as I am here once again to take an oath for the second tenure as a re-elected governor of this enviable state (Kano state). God is The Greatest! I am indeed grateful to God and I humble myself before The Almighty as His helpless servant. I truly believe God is the Sole Endower of power, He gives it to whomsoever He wishes and denies it to whomsoever He wishes..." This particular expression by Malam Shekarau had really turned many people up and made them to further acknowledge his firm conviction and belief and total submission to God's will in all his undertakings. Instead of one to hear Shekarau chanting words of victory and even scolding or ridiculing his numerous opponents who ganged up in an effort to see to his failure to grasp the governorship seat for the second time, here was humble Shekarau glorifying his God and attributing all power to Him alone.

Another endearing thing in the inaugural speech read by Malam Shekarau was when he emphasized his intention to continue with all the welfarist  activities of his government in the form of providing employment, providing skills and machineries for various crafts, as well as general welfare of workers and citizens alike. Also his intention to rehabilitate and up-grade the hitherto abandoned Koranic scholars the Alarammas, by earmarking salaries for them was much endearing at least to the grass roots who knew very well the tremendous contributions of this category of people in a typical northern Nigerian society like Kano state.

Apart from commerce, Kano is also a predominantly agrarian community, to which the governor equally vowed to continue to support agriculture in his programmes, through providing fertilizer, farm implements, improved seeds and related chemicals to the teeming farmers in the state, all at subsidized prices.

However one of the immediate needs and concern of the people is shortage of potable water for dwellers of the populous state. Already a water plant worth 6.5 Billion Naira, with capacity to provide 150 million liters daily, is under construction and nearing completion, to arrest the problem of water. Malam Shekarau at the inauguration calmed down the people and asked the to exercise more patience as the project would be completed in nearest possible time.